[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3894 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3894

 To reinvigorate science and technology functions of the Department of 
                             the Air Force.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 19, 1998

Mr. Hall of Ohio (for himself, Mr. Boehlert, and Mr. Hobson) introduced 
  the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on National 
                                Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To reinvigorate science and technology functions of the Department of 
                             the Air Force.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Air Force Science and Technology 
Reinvigoration Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) When the Air Force was established in 1947 as an 
        independent service, its founders expected that it would ensure 
        that scientific research and technology development would be a 
        priority of America's aeronautical defenses.
            (2) Scientific investigation, accompanied by the new 
        knowledge it generates, is the cornerstone of air, space, and 
        information superiority. To maintain air, space, and 
        information superiority, a strong research base is critical. 
        Sustaining a strong research and development base is a 
        continuous effort, taking place both inside and outside the Air 
        Force and involving the best minds of the Nation.
            (3) The vision of Air Force founder General Henry H. Arnold 
        and others--that the Air Force should be built around science--
        remains as vital today as it was more than 50 years ago.
            (4) Investment in Air Force research and development has 
        resulted in benefits to American industry, especially the 
        aerospace industry, and made significant contributions to the 
        American economy.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FUNCTIONS OF 
              THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) to ensure sufficient financial resources are devoted to 
        emerging technologies, not less than 2.5 percent of the funds 
        available for obligation by the Air Force should be dedicated 
        to science and technology;
            (2) management and funding for science and technology by 
        the Air Force should be separate from management and funding 
        for acquisition by the Air Force;
            (3) to increase long-term investments, not less than 15 
        percent of science and technology funds available for 
        obligation by the Air Force should be invested in new 
        technology areas, including critical information technology 
        programs, for the next 5 years;
            (4) to maintain a sufficient base of scientists and 
        engineers to meet the technological challenges of the future, 
        the Air Force should--
                    (A) increase the number of Air Force officers and 
                civilian employees holding doctorate degrees in 
                technical fields; and
                    (B) increase the number and variety of technical 
                degrees at the master's level granted to Air Force 
                officers and civilian employees from both the Air Force 
                Institute of Technology and civilian universities; and
            (5) to ensure Air Force science and technology does not 
        stagnate, a concentrated effort should be made to eliminate 5 
        percent of science and technology programs each year, with 
        funds from the discontinued programs used for new science and 
        technology programs.

SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS RELATING TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FUNCTIONS OF THE 
              DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE.

    (a) Separation of Research and Development Function from Equipping 
Function of Secretary of the Air Force.--Section 8013(b) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``(including research and 
        development)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(13) Research and development.''.
    (b) Research and Development Function of the Office of the 
Secretary of the Air Force.--(1) Section 8014(c)(1) of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(H) Research and Development.''.
    (2) Section 8014 of such title is amended--
            (A) by striking out subsection (d); and
            (B) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections 
        (d) and (e), respectively.
    (c) Establishment of Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for 
Science and Technology.--(1) Section 8016 of such title is amended--
            (A) in subsection (a), by striking out ``four'' and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``five''; and
            (B) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following 
        new paragraph:
    ``(4) One of the Assistant Secretaries shall be the Assistant 
Secretary of the Air Force for Science and Technology. The Assistant 
Secretary shall have as his principal duty the overall supervision of 
science and technology functions of the Department of the Air Force.''.
    (2) Section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, is amended in the 
item relating to the Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force by striking 
out ``(4)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``(5)''.
    (d) Establishment of Deputy Chief of Staff for Science and 
Technology.--Section 8035 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) One of the Deputy Chiefs of Staff shall be the Deputy Chief 
of Staff for Science and Technology.''.

SEC. 5. STUDY.

    (a) Requirement.--The Secretary of the Air Force shall enter into a 
contract with the National Research Council of the National Academy of 
Sciences to study the technology base of the Air Force.
    (b) Matters Covered.--The study shall--
            (1) recommend the minimum requirements to maintain a 
        technology base that is sufficient, based on both historical 
        developments and future projections, to project superiority in 
        air and space weapons systems, and information technology;
            (2) address the effects on national defense and civilian 
        aerospace industries and information technology by reducing 
        funding below the minimum level described in paragraph (1) of 
        section 3; and
            (3) recommend the appropriate level of staff holding 
        baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees, and the optimal 
        ratio of civilian and military staff holding such degrees, to 
        ensure that science and technology functions of the Air Force 
        remain vital.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date on which the 
study required under subsection (a) is completed, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report on the results of the study.
                                 <all>